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privilege

Privilege. It’s a word we have seen every single day for months now. It’s a word I have had to really dissect and explore--because, initially, I thought--NO WAY. Not me. Upon first glance the word brings up feelings about wealth, class, and status--none of which are associated with growing up in rural Montana, cows outnumbering people, plugging in my pickup the nights it got below zero.


Did you think this way too? That privilege doesn’t apply to you because you don’t live in a castle on the hill, sidewalks paved in gold?


But. 


Rather than dismissing the word, open up your eyes and look around your own little world that you have created--I promise you will start to see the threads of privilege effortlessly woven into your life. 


It took me less than five minutes to quickly identify this short list:

-space/time to grow my own food

-education

-a husband who treats me as an equal

-healthy kids who have access to excellent schools, activities, friendships, safe streets to ride their bikes down

-safety, in general

-fresh air, as much as I can fill my lungs with, over and over

-clean water

-access to healthy foods, the knowledge how to prepare them


A few more--

Are you religious? That is a privilege. 

Do you have to think twice about where you walk at night? Where you shop? No? Privilege. 

Can you love who you want to love? Privilege. 

Do you have access to healthcare? If you were suddenly sick today, would you have a way to get better? Privilege.


Will you do something for me? You don’t know me and I don’t know you, but let’s do this together. Let’s take five minutes, an afternoon, the weekend maybe, to sift through our own good fortune. 


Whether it is a life you have built, or one you have inherited (most likely a combination), can you start to recognize your advantages, benefits, and opportunities so common they often blend into the background. 


List them out. Share them. Have a conversation with your kids. Celebrate them, because my goodness look how great you have it!  And then use those things to help lift others. Fight for fairness, opportunity, use your voice for good. Let’s do this together...what a privilege it could be.



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